Automatic electric crossing-gate.



J. BRIGGS.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CROSSING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1914.

1,1 34,584.. Patented pr. 6, 1915..

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W 1Ml lll l w lllllmksagm J. BRIGGS. AUTOMATIC ELEfiTRlC CROSSING GATE,

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1914.

1,1 34,584. Patented pr- 6, 1915.

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6 a)? j v J W ow/ l J. BRIGGS.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC. CROSSING GATE.

, APPLICATION-FILED APR. 15, I9l4. 1,1 34,584.. Patented pr. 6, 1915.

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JAY BRIGGS, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOE 0F ONE-HALF TO '1.GUNN,

OESAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. I

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC? CROSSING-GATE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr;.'6, 1915.

Application filed April 15, 1914. Serial no. saisse.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AY BRIGGS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in. the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and usearrangement simple inconstruction and eflective and durable in use.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is adiagrammatical view showing theelectrical connections. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the device asapplied to a single track railway. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing thedevice as applied to a double track railway. Fig. 4 is a plan viewshowing the device as applied'to a four track railway. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on line m w Fig. 2. Fig. 6'is a cross section on 'line af -mFig. 3. Fig. 7 is a cross section 'on line vi-w", Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is anenlarged section similar to Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a sectional View on theline 1 of Fig. 8. k I

l and 2 designate track portions which are adjacent to a crossing trackportion 3.

4 designates the crossing. The track sections 1 and 2 are insulated fromthe cross ing section 3.

5 designates a gatewhich is operated into either a horizontal orvertical position by a gear 6, which .is in turn operated by a pinion 7,which rotates with a gear 8, the gear 8 being rotated by a pinion 9driven by a reversible. motor 10..

The starting and stopping of the motor is controlled by a switchdesignated in general 11-, which consists of two pivoted levers 12 and13 connected by a rod 14 carrying a 21 designates, a reversmg switchwhich 'tral position.

comprises a solenoid 22 with armature 23 carrying a switch blade 24 andadapted to place terminals 25 and 26 in connection with each other or toplace terminals 27 and 28 in connection with each other. Wires 29 and 30lead fromthe terminals 27'and 25 to the motor 10. A branch'wire 31 leadsfrom wire 30 to terminal 17, and a branch wire 32 leads from wire 29 toterminal 18. A wire 33 leads from the motor 10 to a source of electricenergy 34-, said wire 33 being also connected to contacts 16 and 19aforesaid and a wire 35 leads from the motor 10'to a contact 36, whichforms part of a main switch designated generally 37, and having alsocontacts 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44. A. wire 45 extends between thecontacts 26. and 28, and a wire 46 extends from wire 45 to wire 35. Awire 47 leads from one pole of the solenoid 22 to the wire 33, and awire 48 leads from the other pole of the solenoid 22 to the contact 40.The main switch 37 has two solenoids 49 and 50, the armatures of whichare connect.-

ed to a pivoted lever 51, the latter havi'ng blades 52 and 53 on itsopposite ends, blade 52 being adapted to connect contacts 41 and throughcontacts 55 and 56, and also has a rigid arm 57 with a roller 58,'whichis arranged between two spring pressed plungers 59 and 60, therespective plungers having detents 61 and 62 and having switch blades 63and 64, the switch blade 63 being adapted to connect contacts 65 and 66,and a switch blade 64 being adapted to connect contacts 67 and 68.Springs 69 on opposite sides of the arm 53 tend to hold the lever 51 incen- Solenoids 70 and 71 have ,armatures 72 and 73 respectively, thearmature 72 being adapted to engage detent 62 and hold the blade 64 inconnection with contacts 67 and 68, while armature 7 3 is adapted toengage detent 61 and hold blade 63 in connection with contacts 65 and66. The armature 72 carries a blade 74 which is adapted to connec'tcontacts 75 and 76, and the armature 73 has a blade 77, which is adaptedto connect contacts 78 and 7 9. Springs 72' and 7 3 serve to elevate thearmatures 72 and 73.

nection with contacts 40 and 36.

blade 53 connects contacts 36 and 40 a pole of solenoid 71 is connectedby wire 83' with contact 65 and the other pole is connected by wire 84'with contact 78. A wire 79 leads from contact 7 5 to contact 38, and thewire 80 leads from contact 76 to one rail of track section 2. Awire 81leads from the other rail of track section 2 to the corresponding railof track section 1, and a wire 82 leads from the wire 81 tocontact' 55.A wire 83 leads from wire 81 tothe source of energy 34. A wire 84connects the corresponding poles of solenoids 49 and 50, and a wire 85connects the other pole of solenoid 49 with contact 44. A wire 86connects the other pole of solenoid 50 with contact 39. A wire '87connects one pole of solenoid 49 with contact 42, and a wire 88 leadsfrom contact 42 to contact 36. A wire 89 connects contacts 40 and 41. Awire 90 connects contact 43 with contact 79. A wire 91 leads from onerail of track section 1-to contact 78, and a double pole switch 92 isarranged in'wire's 90 and 91. A wire 93 connects'contacts 66 and 6,8,and a wire 94 connects contact 66 with wire 33. A wire 95 connectscontact 56 with wire 88' Assuming the gate 5 to be in vertical position,when a train passes onto the track section 1, it closes the circuitbetween the two rails of that track section and through the associatedwires 81 and 91, whereupon a circuit is established as follows: throughwire 91 to contact '78, through switch blade 77 to contact 7 9, throughwire 90 to contact 43, through blade 52 to contact 44, through wire 85to solenoid 49, through wire 87 to con-- tact 42, through wire 88 tocontact 36, through wire 35, through the field of motor 10, then throughwire 33 to battery 34, through wire 83 to wire 81 and to track section 1and wheels and axle of car to opposite track ,rail and wire 91, thuscompletin the circuit through solenoid 49. Solenoi 49 being therebyenergized pulls down lever 51, still keeping. blade 52 in connectionwith contacts 43 and 44 to maintain the foregoing circuit, and movingblade 53 into con- When branch circuit from the .foregoing circuit isestablished from wire 87, contact 42, wire 88, contact 36 to wire 35.and motor, also through blade 53 to contact 40, through wire 48, throughsolenoid 22 through wire 47 to wire 33 in the foregoing circuit, therebyenergizing solenoid 22 which lifts blade 24 to connect contacts 27 and28,. thereby closing the circuit through wire 29 and through thearmature of the motor, and through wire 30 to wire 31, contact 17, blade15, contact 16, and wire 33 to the battery. The motor then revolves andthrough the before'de scribed gearing lowers the gate 5 into ahorizontal position, at which time the roller 20 strikes the lever 12and shifts the blade 15 away from contacts 16 and 17 into connectionwith contacts 18'and 19, which opens the armature circuit and stops thegate. Although at this time theblade 15 connects contactslS and 19 andthus connects wire 32 with wire 30 no current flows through wire 30because blade 24 is above contacts- 25 and 26. The motor thus remainsstationary with the gate lowered while the train passes. As soon as thefront wheels of the train pass onto track section 2, they connect wires80 and 81 so that a circuit is formed from wire 80 to contact 76,through wire 82, solenoid 70, contactr67, and through blade 64', which,

it will be remembered, had been previously moved to the left, throughcontact 68 and wire 93 to contact 66, through wire 94 and wire 33 tobattery 34, wire 83 to wire 81 and track s'ection'2, completing thiscircuit, and as solenoid is thus energized, it moves the armature 72down into engagement with detent 62, which is'already standing inposition at the left to be engaged, which looks the plunger 60 in itsposition at the left and maintains the circuit through blade 64 betweencontacts 67 and 68. llhis movement at armature or core 72 alsointerrupts the con u nection between contacts 76 and 7 5 through switchblade 74.- When the last wheels of nection at 53. This prevents theenergization of solenoid 50 by the passage of the train onto the secondsection. If it were not for the holding open of the contact 74 by thesolenoid 70 at this time the passing of the train onto the secondsection would operate the solenoid 50 as soon as the switch lever 51returns to normal position and it is to prevent this and the consequentlowering of' the gate by operation of the second section that thecontact 74 is opened by the solenoid 70 and said solenoid holds itscontact in open position aslong as current is sup lied to said solenoidfrom the wires lea ing to the second section, by reason of the presenceof a train on said second section. 1

When the circuit is broken between contacts 40 and 36 by movement ofswitch lever 51 to normal position'it breaks the circuit the circuitthrough solenoid 22, and the armature thereof then drops by gravity sothat blade 24 connects contacts 25 and 26.,

. 35 through wire 46 through contact 26, blade 24,'contact 25, wire 30,armature of motor, wire 29, wire 32, contact 18, blade 15, contact 19,and wire 33 to battery, and the motor 10 is caused to revo'lvein theopposite direc-' tion to raise the gate 5 to vertical position, and assoon as a vertical position of the gate is reached the roller 20 hasbeen moved back to the right against lever 13 and swings the blade 15out of engagement with contacts 18 and 19, thereby stopping the motorand hold ing the gate vertical. As soon as the lasfi wheels have leftthe rails 1 and'the' circuiis broken between wires 81 and 91, and themain switch resumesnormal central position, current is supplied fromwire 82 to contact 55, blade 54, contact 56 and wire 95 to wire 88 andcontact 36 and to the motor through the before described connections. Ifa train comes in the opposite direction, and it reaches track section 2,it closes the circuit between wires 80 and 81, and a circuit isestablished as follows: through wire 80 to contact 76, through blade 74and contact, 75, through wire 79 to contact 38, through blade 53 andcontact 39, through wire 86 and solenoid 50, through wire 84 to wire 87,to contact 42, through wire 88 to contact 36, through wire 35 to thefield'of motor 10, and then through wire 33 to battery 34', through wire83 and wire 81 to track section 2, there by energizing solenoid andacting upon lever 51 to move down blade 53 on contacts 38 and 39 andlift blade 52 onto contacts 41 and 42 and move spring pressed plunger 59to the right. When the blade 52 connects with contacts 41 and 42, acircuit is also established from solenoid 50, through wire 84 to Wire 87to contact 42, through blade 52 to contact 41, wire 89 to contact 40,wire 48 to solenoid 22, through wire 47 towire 33, battery 34, wire-83,wire 81, through the track section 2, wire.8,0, contact 7 6,,blade 74,contact 75, wire 79, contact 38, blade 53, contact 39., wire 86tosolenoid 50, which energizes solenoid 22 and'lifts'armature 24 andmakes connection between contacts 28 and .into connection with contactsBand 19,

which opens the armature circuit and stops.

the motor with gate lowered. As soon as the train passes onto tracksection 1, it closes the circuit between wires 91 and 81 so that acircuit is formed from wire 91 tl'1'rough wire 84, solenoid 71, wire 83,contact 65, blade 63 which, it will be remembered, had been previouslymoved to the right, through contact 66 and wire 94, towire 33', tobattery 34, wire 83,-to wire 81, and track section 1, and as solenoid 71is thus energized it moves the armature 73 into engagement with detent61 which looks the plunger 59 in its position at the right. When thelast car passes off from track section 2, it breaks the circuit throughsolenoid 50, which had been maintained until that time, the circuitbeing broken between wires 80 and 81 as soon as the wheels pass ofi'from the rails of track section 2, whereupon the spring 69 restoreslever 51 to central position, which breaks the circuit through solenoid22 between contacts 42 and 41, and its armature blade 24 drops tocontacts 25 and 26, whereupon the motor is re volved in the oppositedirection to raise the gate 5 into the vertical position, at thecompletion of which movement the roller 20 strikes arm 13 and ;'movesblade 15 out of connection with contacts 18 and 19 and stops the motorwith [the gate in raised position. Solenoids 22, 70, 71, 49, and 50,together with their associated switches are located in a box 96, whichis inclosed in a case 97, as shown in Fig. 8, andlocated also in thecase 97 is the motor 10 and gearing,

through which it operatesthe gates asso- ,gate 5*. The gate 5 is notcontrolled by the operating mechanism of box 97. but by the mechanism inthe opposite box 97'- by means of any suitable connection. As. hereinshown, the connection comprises a sprocket 100 on shaft 99 which isconnected by chain 101 with a sprocket 102 on a tubular shaft 103 whichis located in the ground below the track and extends to the other sideof the track.v Within the tubular shaft 103 is a solid shaft 104 havinga sprocket 105 which is connected by a chain1'06 with a sprocket 107 onshaft 98. The other end of the tubular shaft 103 has a sprocket 102'which is connected by a chain 106 with a sprocket 107' on shaft 98,shaft 98 being operated by gears 8, 9, and motor 10, and carries a gate5". Also mounted on box 97 is a shaft 99 which carries gate 5, and has asprocket 100' which is connected by a chain 101 with a sprocket 105" onthe solid shaft 104. Thus, motor 10 operates gates5 and 5, while motor10' operates gates 5 and 5;

a manner as shown in Fig. 9, extends across.

under the track and operates gate 5, in this instance box 97 containingonly the sprocket and each connection from gate 5 to the shaft 104. t

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical plan View of the mechanism shown in detail inFig. 8. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical plan view of the apparatus as appliedto a four track road, in which case two sets of mechanism similar 'toFig. 8 are employed, each being independen of the other and each motorbeing connec ed with its individual track, so that a train running onany one track will operate the motor connected therewith, and that motorwill lower and raise a gate on each side of the track.'

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a gate, a motor for operating the gate, a battery, acircuit through the armature of the motor, a circuit through the fieldof the motor, the field circuit be ing connected with separate tracksections and adapted to be closed by a train 'on a.

' track section, said battery being in the field circuit, a polechanging switch in the armature circuit, a solenoid for operating thepole changingswitch, one pole of the solenoid being connected with thebattery and the other p0 e being adapted to be connected with either ofthe track sections, a "main switch means connected with the battery andwith both track sections for connecting the solenoid of the polechanging switch with either of the track sections.

2. In combination, a gate, a motor for operating the gate, a battery, acircuit through the armature of the motor, a circuit through the fieldof the motor, the field circuit being connectedwith separate tracksections and adapted to be closed by a train on a track section, saidbattery being in the field circuit, a pole changing switch in thearmature circuit, a solenoid for operating the pole changing switch, onepole of the solenoid being connected with the battery and the other polebeing adapted'to be connected with either of the track sections, a mainswitch means connected with the battery and with both track sections forconnecting adapted to be closed by a train on a track section, saidbattery being in the field circuit,

a pole changing switch in the armature circuit, asolenoid for operatingthe pole changing switch, one pole of the solenoid being connected withthe battery and the other pole being adapted to be connected with eitherof the track sections, a main switch means connected with the batteryand with both track sections for connectingthe solenoid of. the polechanging switch with either of the tracksections, and means formaintaining the armature circuit through one of the track sections afterthe main switch means has been actuated by the train passing on to theadjacent track section.

4. In combination with two track sections and a crossing section, gates,means operated by a train passing onto either of said track sections foroperating the gate to lower the same and for raising the gate when thetrain passes oll' of said section, and means operated by such train asit enters the second section in passing the crossing for preventing theoperation of the gate by the gate operating means controlled by saidsecond section.

"' 5. In combination with a crossing and two track sections at oppositesides thereof, a gate operatingmotor, a motor operating circuitincluding means controlled by the passing of a train onto the firstof-either of said sections'in passing the crossing for operating themotor to lower the gate and 10th day of April, 1914.

JAY raises.

lln presence of- Gnome 'll. HACKLEY, LORRAINE 1E. DURRoW.

